


Make Your Mark

by StudGenius



Series: Nova and Chantal: Reconciliation [3]
Category: Queen Sugar (TV)
Genre: Canon Queer Character of Color, Canon Queer Relationship, F/F, Post-Season/Series 01
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-30
Updated: 2017-01-30
Packaged: 2018-09-18 06:29:00
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,901
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9372311
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/StudGenius/pseuds/StudGenius
Summary: Chantal and Nova miss each other, and Charley misses nothing.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Mood music:  
> "Rather Be With You" - Sinead Harnett
> 
> "F*ck All Day (F.A.D.)" - Ingrid
> 
> "Too Deep" - dvsn

"What's going on on your Snapchat?"

"Hello to you, too, Nova." Nova hears the smile in her voice, and she's not sure whether to be comforted or even more irritated.

"Hi, Chantal. Now what's going on?"

"Just a little dancing. We went out after the game. And _now_ you watch my snaps, huh?" Chantal hasn't forgotten the side-eye Nova sent her from the other side of the couch when she received the notification that SeanTall504 had added her as a friend.

"I rarely ever use the damn thing! And I was already following you on the BLM account. You know, the one where your strictly platonic friends aren't backing it up on you to Rihanna?"

"You must've missed our Mardi Gras snaps."

"I'm serious!"

She can't be if she thinks that she and Zina won't cut up to "Birthday Cake" every time. Plus, everyone knows it's rude to leave your friend hanging without anyone who can keep up to put her ass on. She probably should've thought twice about letting the comrade they were staying with film it and gripping Zina's shoulder while she did it, though. "Honey. For the last time. You have absolutely nothing to be worried about."

"I know. I know." She can almost see Nova with her hands up and fingers spread trying to re-center herself. "Sorry. ......I miss you." Which is why she'd clicked on her Snapstory in the first place.

Nova sounds so pitiful (and so cute) when she says it that Chantal wants to take pity on her. "I miss you, too. So you should snap me something to hold me over."

Nova's response comes out somewhere between a hum, a chuckle, and a moan, and her voice drops an octave when she says, "Something like what?"

"Surprise me."

Nova sends a video of herself taking a bubble bath, what she's doing when her hands dip under the suds left up to Chantal's imagination and her intimate knowledge of what a pleased Nova looks like.

Chantal gets herself off twice in the shower, but it doesn't quite take the edge off of the horniness that's been building since she left Nova's arms to go to Atlanta. Boarding in a friend's furnished basement in Ellenwood where she's been sharing a bedroom with Zina and their sexual tension doesn't help.

That's how Friday night goes.

Saturday night, Chantal tells her about how they ran into one of her exes in the mall, "they," of course, including Zina Archeambeau, who yells something in the background that sounds like " _bitch ran off like a lizard on a hot rock."_ Nova would laugh if she didn't hate her. And if Chantal doesn't laugh and yell _"Shut up, Archie!"_

Nova wants a nickname. She even wants trips to the mall. She wants Chantal to give her a reason to cook reward breakfasts every morning. She wants this. She wants _them._

When they hang up, Nova sends Calvin a text saying she's ready to talk.

He comes over, because this is the kind of thing she knows she has to do in person, even at eleven o'clock at night, and predictably, he doesn't take the news very well. And even though she's mentally willing him not to do it, he says it: _"I left my family - my wife and kids - for you!_ She distinctly remembers telling him not to do that. How were they ever supposed to truly start over with him expecting her to carry the full weight of that decision - _his_ decision - and actions they'd taken together. Of something he hadn't done when she'd asked years ago. Before the kids. Of something he'd taken it on himself to do after she'd already broken up with him and moved on.

They have problems outside of the outside world that they can't resolve, and she's grateful that Calvin doesn't try to deny it.

Not that that makes it easier to answer when he asks if there's someone else. She knows him well enough to know that he already suspects the answer.

He sets his key down on the side table this time.

Being alone to fall down the rabbit holes in her mind all Sunday morning doesn't make it any easier to not feel a way about hurting Calvin. No matter how things go with Chantal, Nova knows she's made the right decision, but she's spent half of her life in love with the man - or at least the idea of him; she figures that warrants a little time to brood.

Brooding, however, makes her restless, her mind moving too fast to find comfort in her body's stillness or focus on the words in her book. After attempting to read the same page three times, she gives up and reaches for her phone.

> **Nova <3 to Chantal Williams, 11:24am:**  
>  You up?
> 
> **Chantal Williams to Nova <3, 11:26am:**  
>  For you? Always. ;-)
> 
> **Nova <3 to Chantal Williams, 11:26am:**  
>  :-o
> 
> **Chantal Williams to Nova <3, 11:27am:**  
>  :-P :-p :-P :-p :-P :-p
> 
> **Nova <3 to Chantal Williams, 11:28am:**  
>  Ma'am.
> 
> **Chantal Williams to Nova <3, 11:28am:**  
>  I want you so bad I can't think straight.

Chantal answers her phone on the first ring.

"When have you ever thought straight?"

"Hilarious. I can't wait to see you. Give you something else to do with that smart mouth."

Nova lets out a breath of a laugh at the thought.

"So what's up?"

"Just missing you."

"You okay?"

"Yeah. Why you ask?"

"I can hear it in your voice. You been crying?"

 _Damn._ Nova really hadn't been planning to get into this over the phone. At least not today. But Chantal deserves to know. "I broke up with Calvin."

Chantal almost says _"I'm sorry,"_ but catches herself. "Oh."

"Yep."

"How do you feel?"

"I'll be alright."

"That's not what I asked."

"I don't know." Nova's sigh makes Chantal's heart hurt. "Mostly numb now, but...just gonna take some time."

"I wish I was there with you."

"You just want to have sex with me."

Chantal allows Nova's deflection this time. "You say that like you don't want the same thing."

"I told you not to go to Atlanta. See now? You could've been in it right now, but you hard-headed."

Normally, Chantal would laugh at that, at Nova Bordelon calling someone else hard-headed, but, in her current state, she's much more interested in the other part of that sentence. "So you want me in it, huh?"

"Something like that." If Nova's phone had a cord, she would be twirling it around her finger.

"What are you wearing?"

"Oh, no," Nova laughs. "No, no. No phone sex."

"Baby." Chantal's whining only serves to feed Nova's urge to tease, and she knows she's desperate when she starts pleading with pet names. "I need you. _She_ needs you." The "she" in question being Chantal's clit, which is hard to the point of aching at this juncture in their conversation.

"Well then, _she_ should've convinced you to keep your ass in New Orleans."

"Nova!"

"Chantal."

"That's really how you gon' be?"

"You can make it two more days."

"Get off my phone. I'ma have to go take care of this myself, since you ain't gon' help me."

Nova's cackling when she hangs up.

She manages to finish her book. Chantal manages to frustrate herself even more because alone time is just not what it used to be.

On Monday, Micah comes over after school, and, grateful for the company, Nova pulls out the PlayStation 4 she bought back when he and Charley first came down in an effort to give the boy some sort of distraction and normalcy (and to maintain her Cool Aunt status).

Once he gets the remote play set up for her Mac monitor, they're off on a NBA 2K16 battle royale. Micah makes Nova play as the Gladiators so he can dunk on his dad, and, for now, she decides not to question it. It seems he's the one who wants to play therapist, anyway.

"So I heard about what happened," he says after they're three games in - Micah - 2, Nova - (a very close) 1. "About you...and the cop...and the other cop."

Nova just nods in response.

"Are you okay?"

Another nod.

"So that's it? Nothing to say about it?"

"You know I don't believe in dwelling and wallowing. The cop situation has resolved itself, and I'm sure the "other cop" situation will do the same. Sometimes, you just gotta let the universe work, baby."

Micah lets that soak in for a minute, and, with a nod of his own, seems to accept it. "Okay. So, like...can I ask you a related-but-not question?"

It's the little shoulder shimmy he does when he says "related-but-not" that makes her say yes more than anything. She's not sure Micah will ever be old enough to share her business with, especially not by Charley's standards, and she's been doing her best lately to mend that relationship.

"What happened with you and Miss Chantal?"

"Why? You still got a crush on her?"

"No!" Micah's laughing, all smiles and blushes. "I have KeKe now, thank you very much."

"Is that right? 'Cause that ain't what you told your mama."

"Oh my god! Since when do you two talk, anyway?"

"Me and ya mama talk. And we care about you more than anything else we got going on."

"Alright. So......"

Nova mimics the way Micah rolls his head around on his neck. "So?"

"Do _you_ still have a crush on her?"

Nova would lie just to fuck with him, but her heart has a mind of its own, and there's no hiding the smile that comes to her face. "She may or may not be coming by tomorrow." And since she knows he's going to ask, she adds, "I don't think we're going to be available for company 'til Thursday, though."

"Ew."

"'Ew,' nothin'. How you think you got here?"

"Not because my aunts had sex."

Nova's got the game paused and Micah in a headlock, preparing to tickle him right in the ribs when there's a knock. "Oh, you saved by the bell, today, boy."

Micah just waves her off, straightening his clothes while he tries to catch his breath.

She's not prepared for the sight that greets her on the other side of her front door. "Chantal."

There she is, in the flesh, like Micah conjured her up, with her copper curls in two long braids under her white and gold XULA cap, a blue Ginny Baker 43 t-shirt under a blue and yellow flannel, ripped skinny jeans, and her chunky black Doc Martens. Ever-faithful go bag on her shoulder. Looking tanned and fine as ever. Smelling delicious like clean laundry and spiced fruit like always. And looking at Nova like she could eat her on the spot. "Surprise."

Nova's prepared for Chantal to grip her by the waist and pull her to her, lips meeting like magnets and tongues stroking against each other, but that doesn't stop the hunger of it from making her knees weak. She's holding Chantal, tucking her hands in her back pockets and preparing to walk her backwards into the house, when a throat clears behind them. They spring apart, and Nova would probably look guilty if she wasn't so dazed.

Micah's blushing, but he looks happy for them, giving Chantal a shy wave, which she responds to by stepping around Nova to set her bag and cap down and give him dap and a hug. "Micah! How've you been?"

"I've been good. Getting closer to figuring out who I want to be."

"Damn straight."

"Uh...I can...give you guys some privacy, if you..." Micah points his thumbs towards the porch.

"No, Micah. Thank you, but that's not necessary. This is your time with your aunt." That's what Chantal says, and Nova knows she means it, but she can feel her energy, all coiled up tight and taut, when she comes to stand next to her and slides an arm around her waist.

"Just give us a minute, okay? We'll be right back."

Micah nods and heads back into the side room where the PS4 and his phone are at, and Nova leads Chantal into her bedroom, closing the door behind them.

"Hi." Nova can't keep the smile off of her face.

"Hi."

"Come lay down with me for a little bit."

She does, kicking off her boots and stretching out on her right side with a sigh to face Nova, who's mirroring her. "It's good to see you."

Nova's hand on the small of her back urges her to come closer, and she does until they're pelvis-to-pelvis, wrapping her arms around Nova's neck, one hand sliding under her locs to massage the nape and revelling in the feel of the soft, tapered hair under her fingers.

"It's good to be seen." She feels Chantal pressing into her, body buzzing with pent-up passion and begging for relief on its own accord, and takes pity on her, shifting even closer, Chantal's belt buckle cold against her stomach as she drapes a leg over her hip. Nova's rocking against her, trying to keep a pace that won't make the bed springs squeak, when Chantal trails a hand down her side and under her tank top, grabbing ahold of her waist and pushing her over onto her back.

Nova would consider protesting, but Chantal kisses her before she can say anything, thrusting against her in long, deep, slow strokes, using her thick thighs for torque and toes digging into the mattress for leverage as she works between her legs. She breaks the kiss to bury her face in Nova's neck, taking her in and letting the sandalwood, sage, and lavender that she knows and loves so well flood her senses, and Nova knows it's feeling good to her when she begins to suckle at the tender skin just below her jaw line.

Then, just like that, she stops, rolling off of Nova and lying on her back a respectable distance away with her hand over eyes, looking spectacularly hot and bothered and mildly ashamed of herself. "Sorry."

"Don't be."

"Micah."

"I know." She reaches out to touch Chantal, but she shifts away from her hand.

"You should go back out there. Let me get my mind right. I'll be with y'all in a sec."

"You sure you gon' be alright?"

Chantal turns her head and spreads her fingers to peek over at her. "Nova, go." Her eyes are as dark and shiny as Nova's ever seen them.

"Okay."

Nova heads back out to resume her basketball battle with Micah, Chantal joining them fifteen minutes later, looking calmer, but still not quite herself.

Micah doesn't have to ask what they were up to in the bedroom. He's already assumed - as much as his mind will let his thoughts linger on his favorite aunt's sex life - his chair is close enough to Chantal's that he can smell Nova's perfume, or oils, or whatever it is that she uses on her flannel shirt, and, if he's not mistaken, that's a fresh hickey on his aunt's neck. And he knows that they geniunely want to spend time with him, and they _are_ having a great time - Nova, especially, judging by the way she cackles when Chantal users with Davis to eurostep his player and take the lead - but Chantal can bring his aunt comfort in a very different way than he can, and, after what she's just been through, he figures she deserves it. He's not too young to understand that kind of need, and maybe he'll be able to come back over tomorrow if he leaves them alone now. So, after Chantal finishes whooping his ass with a surprising and, frankly, disappointing lack of trash talk (bringing the final tally to Micah - 5, Aunts - 2), he quickly stuffs his things back into his bookbag, calls his mom to let her know that he's coming back early, and requests a Lyft, having to turn down Nova's repeated offers to drive him back to St. Joe's.

They both hug him when his ride comes and watch from the doorway as he goes down the walkway to the curb. They look happy together, arms around each other's waists and Chantal resting her head on his aunt's shoulder, and that's all he wants for all of the women in his life right now. Peace with the people they love.

With one last wave, he's gone, and Nova turns to Chantal after she closes the door, her smile gentle and just a little sad. "He's really growing up."

"And y'all are doing a wonderful job with him. He's a great kid."

The question escapes Nova's lips before she can think better of it, the way she's looking at Chantal, eyes all soft and thoughtful, letting her know she's thinking it exactly how it sounds. "You ever want any of your own?"

"I don't know. With the right woman, maybe." Chantal's gaze is full of her own tender feelings and intentions, and Nova thinks she should probably be scared by that, but she just blushes.

Chantal smiles, tucking her lips in to hide the full force of it, and looks away, blushing back as hard as Nova's ever seen, and Nova kisses her cheek because she can't help herself, and it makes that flutter start up in her chest again. They both sigh - because neither one can think of anything to say that won't sound like way too much way too soon, and Chantal figures their best bet is to change the subject.

"Anything new sprout up in the garden while I was gone?"

"That all you think about," Nova teases, "pussy and food?"

Chantal pretends to ponder it. "That, and the liberation of our people. And you. I definitely think about you."

Nova licks her lips. "What about me?"

"Well...mostly about eating your food and eating your pussy, so you might be right."

She dodges Nova's hand when she laughs and swipes at her, which leads to a full-speed chase around the coffee table and down the hallway, Chantal sliding on her socks to bend the corner and duck into the bedroom. Nova's too fast, though, and she finds herself flat on her back when she shoves her onto the bed, Nova wasting no time in tugging her socks and jeans off once she's got them undone, belt buckle jingling all the way down.

"You have on way too many clothes."

"So fix it."

Nova raises an eyebrow at that, even though she knows the effect is totally lost on her way too fearless companion. "You feeling bossy today?"

"Could be."

"Show me."

She says it because she knows Chantal's up for the challenge, and she knows she's been thinking of different ways to make her come all week (some of which, she had been thoughtful enough to text to her), so when Chantal sits up to undress her and finish undressing herself, the waves of desire crash down, and she's putty in her capable hands.

Chantal's hands are as soft as a hard worker's can be, but Nova can feel all of the ridges and calluses of her palms as she explores her body, and it only serves to turn her on even more. Short nails scrape gently over her ass and thighs as Chantal pulls her closer between her legs. Once her body's within kissing range, she takes full advantage, soft lips making their way up her stomach to her breasts where she draws a nipple into her mouth, licking and sucking until it's pebbled against her tongue, while talented fingers bring the other to the same state.

Nova's hands are in her hair, gripping her braids to hold her in place, but Chantal knocks them away to pull back, her own hand sliding between Nova's thighs to test her wetness before tugging her down to straddle her thigh.

She doesn't need to be told twice, rolling her hips as she slides against the firm flesh, Chantal's hands holding tight to her waist as she moves faster and faster against her, clit swollen and desperate for release. Chantal's nibbling and sucking at her breasts and her neck, which are at her mercy as Nova's throws her head back onto her shoulders, moaning so loud that Chantal looks up at her, if only to find a new spot of unmarred cassel skin to latch on to.

Chantal wraps her arms around her when she starts bucking against her, hugging Nova close, her head resting against her chest as she works her hips under her, thigh muscles tightening and relaxing to push up against her.

Nova feels so warm and safe, cared for and loved, and good and free in Chantal's embrace, that there's nothing left for her to do but come, arms tight around Chantal's neck and evidence of her pleasure spilling onto her thigh when she climaxes.

" _Fuck_."

"Let it all go, baby. I got you."

Nova knows she does.

Chantal holds her tighter when she slumps against her, a little tired, but not yet sated, rubbing her back as their breaths sync.

Eventually, they manage lie back together, Chantal's feet still on the floor, Nova still on top of Chantal, arms still wrapped around each other.

"You finished?"

Nova looks rightfully insulted.

Then Chantal's hands are on her ass, prodding Nova to shimmy her way up her body until she's straddling her head, pussy hovering over her mouth until Chantal hooks her hands around her thighs to anchor her. She tastes Nova, sliding her tongue in as deep as it can go while she rides her face, then suckling at her clit while Nova fucks her mouth, her hands pressing into the mattress for balance.

Chantal brings a hand down to play with herself, hips humping up against her fingers, her body seeking a release of its own as the pressure builds and the vibration of her moans cause Nova to topple over the edge once more, breaths ragged and thighs straining.

She can't quite manage rolling off by herself, so Chantal helps tip her over onto her back, laying her head against Nova's thigh once she's settled, nuzzling the smooth skin and taking in the aroma of their love making - sex and fresh sweat and _them_.

When Nova can move all of her extremities again, she rolls over onto her stomach to finish recovering, only to have Chantal nudge her, not able or willing to postpone her own pleasure any longer as she takes in the expanse of her beautiful body, back muscles rippling as she moves to rest her head on her arms.

"Up."

Normally, Nova would consider disobeying just to get her really good and worked up, but the edge in Chantal's voice tells her that she's past the point of playing around, and Nova wants to give her what she needs, this orgasm she's been waiting for all week that she wanted with Nova and nobody else. The thought strokes her ego and makes her clit perk up again.

Chantal's own clit is hard and insistent against her ass when she scoots up behind her, and Nova feels and hears her shiver and gasp when her hips press forward in a tentative thrust.

Normally, Chantal would slide a finger or two into Nova and bring her to release with her, but she's having a little trouble thinking beyond her own pleasure in the moment, hands gripping a little too hard on Nova's hips as she tries her best to maintain some semblance of control.

When she moves one hand to press into the dip of Nova's back and the other to grasp her shoulder and pull her back tight against her, her thrusts get more forceful, and Nova's hands slip on the sheets, winding up flat on her stomach, Chantal falling with her. She barely misses a beat adjusting to their new positions, thighs spreading wider to straddle Nova's ass and hands grabbing her by the wrists before she can push herself up again. She stays against her back, the closeness making her drive her hips even faster as they slide together, and her teeth are worrying the side of Nova's neck when the tell-tale tingle starts to radiate outward and through the rest of her body.

Chantal shudders against her, her sob of pleasure muffled against her skin, her sigh of relief making Nova smile.

"Better?"

It takes Chantal a little while to get enough synapses firing to answer, "Uh huh."

They drift off to sleep like that, which, while sweet in the moment, Nova regrets when she wakes up. Chantal has shifted off of her at some point during the night, but the damage is done, her back stiffening up when she rolls onto her side. All of her moving around and grunting disturbs her bedmate, Chantal throwing an arm over her and muttering something nonsensical in her sleep. There's a little smile on her face when Nova settles back down beside her.

When Nova wakes up again, it's morning, and Chantal is showered and dressed and rubbing her back and kissing her forehead, telling her she has to go to Gert Town to see an old lady about some money. She doesn't elaborate, and Nova's learned not to ask, so, with a lingering kiss, she sends her on her way, yelling after her to make sure she eats breakfast because she has a habit of forgetting everything but the mission when she's got a plan of action in her head.

Her phone buzzes before she can drift off again, so she has to abandon the Chantal-scented pillow she's been snuggling to crawl (slowly) to the foot of her bed and retrieve the device from the pocket of her jeans.

It's Charley texting to ask if she's seen Micah's Beats because he's pretty sure he left them there and not in the Lyft. Then she's telling her that, if he did, she'll be by after she drops him off at Gardini to get them, lest she has to deal with him bugging her about them until he can get back to her place. She guesses that means he's not coming after school, then, which means she's alone until Chantal finishes shaking down senior citizens or whatever it is she's up to.

It's cool. She's got a story to work on, anyway, and that's exactly where she finds Micah's headphones, on her computer desk. She texts Charley and makes breakfast, including a whole pot of coffee, hoping the smell will entice her sister to stay and talk because she really needs to process. Had she really all but asked Chantal to bear her children the day before?

It's not the coffee that gets Charley's attention. It's the way her sister shuffles her way back to the couch after she opens the door, adjusting her caftan around her and sitting down gingerly, that does it. Nova pretends not to notice the look she sends her way. She can't ignore Charley's reaction when she goes to hand her the Beats and inadvertently reveals the finger-shaped bruises on her wrist, though.

Her eyes go wide, and she doesn't even ask an actual question, just says, "Nova..."

"Charley."

She looks at her sister, then, _really_ looks at her, and that's when she notices the unmistakable oval-shaped bruises trailing down her neck and across her chest. "You get in a tussle with a wild animal last night?"

"Something like that."

The smile on Charley's face slowly starts to curl up, left side first, then the right. "Unh-uh."

Nova just smiles back. Making Charley work for gossip is half of the fun.

"Unh uh!" Charley shoves her with both hands, then holds them up, palms out, when Nova winces. "Sorry. But talk."

"You remember Chantal."

"That your little gardening friend?" Nova nods. "How could I forget? _She_ did this?

Another nod. "We, ah, broke up a little while ago, but we've been reconnecting recently, and...things got a little intense."

"I can see that. You planning to do more than sleep with her this time?" Bruises aside, something seems different about her sister, and Charley wants to know what it is.

"I want to. But I don't wanna move too fast, you know? We did that last time. Didn't work out so well."

"Because you moved too fast, or because you freaked out about wanting to move too fast?"

Nova frowns. Who was Charley to act like she knew her like a sibling or something? "Whose side are you on??"

"The side of whoever's signing up to put up with you." That earns her a throw pillow to the face, which she takes and hugs to her chest. "You tell her any of this?"

"We ain't, uh...We ain't done a whole lot of talking lately."

"Ew."

Nova shakes her head twice, once for mother and again for son.

"Was it as good as it looks?"

That just makes Nova giggle.

"So what's the problem? You know Remy and I still...haven't. And you're over here with a beautiful woman blowing your back out, and you're complaining?" Charley sucks her teeth at her, which earns her another throw pillow.

"I'm _not_ complaining. Trust me. I just-" She sits straight up to look at Charley then. "How soon is too soon to tell someone you love them?"

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading. I'm going to go take Nova to CVS for some IcyHot and an end-swell. Thanks again to @Shaloved30 for helping me work my way through this one.


End file.
